March Break Madness helps kick off Spring Drive

TORONTO, March 16 /CNW/ - With the help of high school students from across Toronto, Daily Bread Food Bank is challenging Toronto to fight hunger by helping to raise 250,000 lbs of food and $250,000 during its annual Spring Drive. This week, 350 students will be sorting donations in Daily Bread's annual March Break Madness, and helping kick-start the Spring Drive with their own donations.

Donations during the Spring Drive allow Daily Bread to continue providing food to those who need it most - our clients. "From August to January of this year, the number of client visits to food banks increased by 11 per cent. 11 per cent means that our member agencies saw an extra 41,000 client visits over the same time last year," says Gail Nyberg, executive director of Daily Bread Food Bank. "The number of client visits remains exceptionally high, and this means we are constantly struggling to provide enough food. Poverty can be a vicious cycle - people need opportunities to break out of it."

Nyberg goes on to say that she knows that "feeding hungry people won't solve the reasons why people are going hungry in the first place." That is why donations are so important -- they allow Daily Bread to do so much more. Your generous support allows us to create successful job training programs for clients, to educate the public by providing volunteer opportunities for youth like March Break Madness as well as continue doing important research around hunger and poverty in Toronto.

The Spring Drive runs until April 9. It is easy to support the fight against hunger. Financial donations can be made securely, online at www.dailybread.ca or by calling 416-203-0050. Cheques can be mailed to Daily Bread Food Bank at 191 New Toronto Street, Toronto ON M8V 2E7. The public can drop off nutritious, non-perishable food at any local fire hall, and starting on March 19 at any Loblaws, valu-mart, Real Canadian Superstore or No Frills.

Daily Bread Food Bank is an independent, non-profit, charitable organization that is fighting to end hunger in our communities. As Canada's largest food bank, Daily Bread serves people through neighbourhood food banks and meal programs in its 171 member agencies across Toronto. We know feeding hungry people won't solve poverty; that's why Daily Bread does more. We work to support our clients by providing job training; researching and educating people on issues of poverty and moving forward with innovative and realistic solutions that will help people break away from poverty.

Daily Bread Food Bank is fighting to end hunger in our communities.

For further information: Sarah Anderson, Communications & Marketing Officer, T: [phone] ext. 238, E: [email protected], M: [phone]